This exciting course introduces vital works of political theory from some of history's greatest minds, luminaries like Plato, Thucydides, and Hobbes. Professor Kaplan's goal is to make these works accessible without distorting or oversimplifying them. By the conclusion of this course, you will see a dramatic difference in your ability to understand what you read or watch in the news.

While political parties have taken the country to the brink of violence and beyond, they have also been vehicles for avoiding violent conflict and for channeling disagreements. This course provides an understanding of how American politics works and can help make sense of election results and political trends. By understanding political parties, we can better understand what is going on in American politics today and in which direction American politics may be going.